Pandemonium
by Aixyutin
Summary: In another universe’s logic Uchiha Sasuke wasn’t allowed to languish alone in the empty halls of the Uchiha. No, instead, he was thrown capriciously into the house of Hyuuga. Power's fickle, but not as fickle as emotions. //co-write clockwork starlight//
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes:** Yes, you are all going to kill me that I'm posting this instead of another chapter of Innocence… I need some sasuhina angst to counteract all that Kakashi humor.

No matter how many times I read Naruto, I always have the same question. _How in the hell did they let six-year-old-looking Sasuke live alone after the massacre? _Ninja village or not, I find it hard to believe they'll just leave him wandering around. He's a Uchiha—no matter how much enmity exists between the Uchiha police force and the shinobi, their bloodline is highly prized. Also, I'm always curious why he isn't out there raising hell like Naruto; you know, rebelling against society. But then again, I guest I'll be a pretty angsty ridden character if my whole family (regardless how much I like them or not) was slaughtered. Brutally. Efficiently. (You've got to give credit where credit is due.)

So, my Hinata-fixation aside, it seems fairly logical Sasuke (in my world of logic) be trotted off to the Hyuuga Clan. Besides having distant familial connections, there exists the whole plethora of politics that having a Uchiha under Hyuuga thumb invites. And because I've always been a sucker for political mayhem…

**Please view in 3/4 format.**

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

**Dedication: clockwork starlight**, because she lets me bounce ideas off her and also because we love/hate the same things.

**Prologue**

"Are you leaving me?" His voice was soft and resigned.

The sound of her fist suddenly slamming into the wall seemed painfully loud in comparison.

She didn't bother to hide her tears even as she whipped around to run away. But with the same speed and ease that had made him one of the deadliest shinobi around, his hand snaked out and grabbed her wrist. She resisted just a little bit but didn't bother doing much else, knowing it would be useless. Instead, she fought with words.

"After everything… how can you say that?" she bit out through the tears, mucus, and rage. Her fists clenched and unclenched.

Sasuke felt his chest tighten as he stared at her shaking back. Guilt made him speechless. So, as always, he sought to communicate the only way he knew how.

Hinata shuddered but didn't resist as he slowly wound his arms around her waist and drew her close. His scent of clean soap was surprisingly calming. She tensed but did not move away as he gently pressed his face into the crook of her neck.

"I'm sorry. It was an inappropriate thing for me to say," Sasuke said quietly, his voice muffled. He reached out and raised her bruised hand to his lips.

"You should have hit me instead," he said softly, his breath ghosting over her swelling knuckles.

"Damn straight," she hissed into the dark room.

Hinata could feel his lips stretch in an amused smile against her neck. Somehow, it made her feel marginally better.

**Pandemonium**

_Because that's just another fancy word for chaos._

**  
Chapter 1**

Uchiha Sasuke walked in like the little prince he rightfully was.

His yukata was properly black and it made his skin seem whiter than ever. His movements were graceful and his dark eyes showed no sign of tears. He looked perfect—and she resented that. But whenever Hyuuga Hinata thought about doing more than merely resenting the intruder in her life, she always reminded herself that at least she had her family. Yes. No matter what, she still had her family. Her Clan.

Her reason for existence.

There was nothing more important than that.

Despite Sasuke's perfection, there was no bringing back _his _family.

_Hinata had always liked the tea Mikoto had prepared._

So she bowed and whispered a quiet hello when he was introduced as a "new family member". Her father gave a brief nod of approval at her behavior but otherwise focused his attention on the quiet boy. It made Hinata crumble inside but it wasn't an unfamiliar pain and she hid it well.

As an Uchiha, as _the _Uchiha, Sasuke was housed in the main compound with the rest of the Main Branch and was expected to be treated as such. Hinata noticed that Neji's countenance had darkened considerably when he realized that, but he bit his tongue and kept his peace. It made Hinata wish Neji would be half as tolerant with her.

Sasuke ate all his meals with her immediate family (and Neji). In the beginning, Hiashi subtly tried to cajol Sasuke into conversation. Unfortunately, his good intentions were for the most part useless, and by dinnertime the family plus one dark-eyed-boy had returned to being silent once more. Even the servants made more noise as they served tea and exquisite meals befitting the shinobi nobility of Konohagakure. After dinner, right before Hiashi went to check on Hanabi and Neji vanished to his usual evening training, Hinata had been instructed to guide Sasuke to his respective bedroom. She did so with the same meekness and compliance she did everything and was only thankful that Sasuke did not ask any questions.

Bowing goodnight after the fifteen minute tour of the compound, she soon retired to her adjacent bedroom.

That night, Hinata slept peacefully if not a little bitterly.

* * *

She awoke to cold sweat.

Hinata briefly tussled with her sheets before she managed to crawl out of her futon. She pressed her cheek to the wall and shuddered as she heard a choked wail echo in the next room.

Sasuke had been fine for three nights—silent, reposed.

On the fourth night, however, he had cracked.

Despite the bitterness and the unforgiving nature of the Hyuuga Household, they protected their own. Although everyone was aware of the young Uchiha's nightmares, no one spoke of it out of respect for the obviously still grieving boy.

Hinata had heard Hiashi contemplating whether to confront the Uchiha about his nightmares, but a fellow Elder had convinced him otherwise, saying the Uchiha would not appreciate a gesture of comfort at this time. In the end, they had settled for placing a constant mild silencing jutsu outside his room. However, silencing jutsus didn't stifle chakra surges or the louder sounds. With her room adjacent to Sasuke's, Hinata felt each sudden surge of erratic chakra quite clearly, as well as the more pained screams.

It had been three days since Sasuke had began to have nightmares and Hinata was beginning to dread them with a vengeance.

Hinata shuddered at another gut-churning, chilling scream.

_Enough._

Before she was even aware of it, she crawled out of her room and stood outside his. It was only when she saw her own hand reaching to push aside the sliding door did she realize exactly what she was about to do.

She hesitated. Another muffled scream.

Hinata braced herself and slid the door open. It was only by force of habit she remembered to close the door behind her.

In the darkness of the room, she could make out the shivering form in the center of a mussed futon. The blankets had long been kicked off and as Hinata padded across the tatami floor in as silent a manner possible, Hinata couldn't help but idly think he would get a chill at this rate.

_I'll have to remind the maids to get heavier blankets._

She knelt down on the edge of the futon and peered at the still-sleeping boy. Up close, she could see that his face was wet with tears and his fists clenched—he looked far from perfect. But for some reason, Hinata liked this Sasuke better than the stoic perfect boy of before.

Hinata reached out to shake him awake and then hesitated. It took her several moments to muster enough courage to let her fingertips gently graze his cheek.

_There are tears on his cheeks._

She would have never expected him to wake so suddenly.

Hinata was too stunned to even cry out when she was suddenly slammed onto her back and pinned to the floor. Her eyes widened and her Byagukan unconsciously manifested even as dark eyes bored into her own. As she began to hyperventilate at the sickening feeling of cold metal pressed against her neck, some childish part of her noted that his eyes were pretty—even when they looked sad.

His breathing was harsh and his throat was undoubtedly raw from all that screaming, but his face was calm if not a bit aggressive. His lips moved as if to speak, but nothing came out as he struggled for both his voice and for the appropriate words. He was so close that she could feel his harsh breathing tickling her cheeks. It wasn't a very pleasant feeling considering the circumstances.

With her Byagukan activated, Hinata could see his chakra spiking erratically. In comparison to the usual chakra flow she saw in other shinobi, it was such a _mess _and for a brief moment Hinata wondered if he shouldn't be sent to the hospital. The hand he had pressed onto one of her arms was remarkably clammy—he really must have been cold without the blanket, Hinata mused.

_Hinata never realized that she'd forgotten all about the kunai pressed to her throat._

After a few long moments, Sasuke finally released her--the kunai didn't fail to leave a nick.

Hinata slowly rose to a sitting position as she unconsciously touched her neck. Her Byagukan receded and she blinked, disorientated.

The room was eerily and heavily silent as she peered nervously at the silent boy. Sasuke was still clutching the kunai (where he'd hidden it, Hinata had no idea) tightly as he stared at the space in between them.

_It felt strange and sort of nice not to be the one staring at the floor this time._

"A-are you alright?"

Sasuke's head whipped upwards so fast Hinata thought his neck might crack. His eyes narrowed and his mouth twisted in an ugly scowl. Hinata cringed, feeling very foolish for asking such an obvious question.

"I'm fine," he snapped. Hinata mutely nodded. She couldn't hold his rage-filled gaze for long and glanced downwards nervously.

"I'm sorry Sasuke-san. Forgive my intrusion," she whispered to the floor as she backed away hastily, almost tripping on her sleeping robe as she did so. She did not look back as she scurried out of the room and closed the door behind her with a mild thud.

As she dived into her blankets, Hinata couldn't help but pity Sasuke. Although she had nightmares, she never screamed.

* * *

Sasuke was screaming again—and Hinata was standing outside his door again. This time however, she had warm tea that she had gone to the kitchen to silently prepare. Tea that the nursemaid would always feed her whenever she had a problem sleeping—tea Hinata hoped would help Sasuke. Even if he hadn't spoken much, Hinata could tell that his voice had been hoarse the whole day from screaming—the tea would help that at least.

As Hinata stared at the door, she briefly wondered if she was allowed to be doing what she was doing. The Clan Elder _had _discouraged such behavior. However, if there was something Hinata hated, it was the feeling of helplessness—and she felt that much too often to allow this little chance to be useful slide.

Bracing herself mentally and physically, Hinata slid open the door. Once again, she was met with the sight of a pathetic little being scrunched up among his covers.

_Oh, Kami._ Hinata almost felt like crying herself.

This time around, she was slightly smarter and Hinata managed to dodge Sasuke's instinctual grab and kunai when she roused him. Her courage soon fled however as she swiftly realized that even half asleep he was far more aggressive than she was—it took everything in her to gingerly hold out the tea as he stared at her groggily.

It was awe-inspiring really, to see his eyes sharpen and focus. Even in his night clothes, even with his hair mussed, somehow Sasuke could still look intimidating.

He stared at her. _Glared_ at her. For a terrifying moment Hinata thought he would knock the hot tea out of her hands too.

_It was something Neji would do._

To her pleasant surprise, he accepted the tea. Hinata couldn't resist giving a soft, almost sympathetic smile—but he scowled at her and the smile vanished. She took his unspoken cue to leave and bolted. Nonetheless, Hinata slept a little better that night than the night before.

* * *

During the daytime, he was cold and aloof. He rarely interacted with the rest of the family beyond meal times—and when he wasn't at the main compound, he was in the training grounds.

Hinata did not miss the approving murmurs from the Hyuuga Elders. It made their silence at her incompetence seem so much more obvious. Hiashi was even worse—even as he trained her, he would frequently activate his Byagukan to check upon the young Uchiha.

_Why can't you be more like Sasuke?_

It made Hinata want to hurt the boy, the usurper, the thief of her throne. _Badly._

Still, observant as Hinata was, she was still young and only seven years old. While she recognized that Sasuke was already being entangled in Clan politics, Hinata failed to see the uglier side of her family that Sasuke was suddenly thrown against.

Sasuke, older than he should be, couldn't help but see the word "Clan" in a totally new light.

Hinata, looking in only as an outsider, couldn't help but feel rage and jealousy.

And then he'll scream during the night again, and she'll guiltily regret everything she thought during the day.

* * *

They repeated this pattern for the next seven nights. By the eighth time, Hinata didn't even hesitate to whip off her covers and scurry to the kitchen.

They repeated the routine—up until a certain point.

"Stay."

Hinata's eyes widened as she stared at the hand that was suddenly grabbing her wrist. She dumbly sat down obediently, mind still reeling. Sasuke released her hand immediately, almost as if burnt. Studiously ignoring her shocked gaze, he focused on drinking the tea.

Hinata bit her lip and looked away as the awkward silence filled the space in between them. However, after a minute, she glanced back at the silent boy.

He had bandages wrapped around both his arms and both his legs. Hinata had heard from the Hyuuga healer that the boy was training himself literally to death. Hinata couldn't help but think it was more than simple training—it was also a way to work himself into exhaustion to escape the nightmares.

After all, she'd done the same thing before herself.

Because Hinata was still young and still hadn't developed nervous gestures, she could think of doing nothing else but speaking...

"I'm sorry." Suddenly the burden on her shoulders seemed to slightly relax.

_I'm sorry you have nightmares. I'm sorry you're stuck in a house of strangers. I'm sorry you're family is dead._

_I'm sorry._

In contrast, Sasuke tensed. The grip on his cup tightened. And then casually, almost indifferently, he replied hoarsely:

"I'm sorry too." Something about the way he said it…

_I'm sorry I make your life miserable. I'm sorry for intruding in your life… I'm sorry for being here. Being born._

Hinata's eyes widened. She whipped her head upwards from staring at the floor to staring at his knowing eyes.

_We're not so different, you and I._

Somehow, Hinata wasn't too surprised to feel tears welling up in her own. Sasuke, uncomfortable, looked away.

_And I'm sorry Itachi-nii-san, for not realizing earlier._

Somehow, although she's the one crying now, the atmosphere seems almost comforting.

As the night dragged on, two seven year olds with old eyes licked their wounds.

* * *

**.x.**

**Important Author's Notes:**

Some of you may notice the unusual syntax and style in this chapter in comparison to my other works. This was my attempt to inject childishness into the writing and to subtly emphasize their innocence and young age.

It probably failed though.

I think canon-Sasuke always had this romantic outlook when it came to the Uchiha Clan. He obviously never saw, or refused to see all the faults of the clan-structure. However, in my fic here, Sasuke is more or less forced to own up to the faults of the Uchiha Clan. After all, there's nothing like the cold bitter exterior of the Hyuuga household to teach a youngster what hate is.

Some of you may also wonder about the **maturity **shown by Sasuke and Hinata—maturity, many of you will argue, that twelve-year-old Sasuke and Hinata never showed in canon. My belief is that children, uninhibited by long-held assumptions and hormones, are in many cases much more mature than teenagers. Teenagers have to have a pre-conceived belief in order to be angry or rebel against the reality. Teenagers also think a lot more, which means there are things they will definitely turn a blind eye to. Children simply don't think that much, and will naturally accept everything as they are. In that sense, children probably see more things than teenagers and adults. Brain power is naturally limited—what adults and teenagers spend on analyzing things children spend on simply absorbing their surroundings.

Am I making sense? I hope I am.

**Unimportant Ramblings:**

Why am I writing this when I clearly should be working on other things, such as my other fanfics?

Probably because I've hit a minor writer's block.

More likely because I'm finally writing that long-chaptered Sasuhina fic I always wanted to write.

Most likely it's because I keep getting bitched at by both my inner muse and friends to fulfill Sasuhina-obligations. They aren't very happy I launched off into the itahina depths without doing some noblesse oblige civic duty to sasuhina-dom.

Unlike _As Far As Innocence Goes_, Pandemonium is a lot narrower when it comes to characters. Yes, there will be politics and drama and humor, but it will focus more on Sasuke and Hinata instead of a host of characters. (Expect a hell lot more angst.) Don't worry, Kakashi will still feature prominently here as well as Neji and the usual favorites, but ultimately it's still Sasuke and Hinata. I feel a bit guilty letting Hinata recede to the background in Innocence. :D

**Review.** Golden cycle: more happy reviews makes more happy authors makes more happy chapters makes more happy reviewers makes more happy reviews… you get my drift.

And honestly, I'm still hesitant about Pandemonium. So convince me that Sasuhina needs just as much love as Itahina. ;)


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors' Notes: **Chapter 2 is the first chapter that **clockwork **and I **co-wrote**. Hence, the style may seem very different from chapter one. Nonetheless, despite the differences, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I know I did.

A little warning in advance: please do not read Pandemonium like you read AFAIG. Pandemonium is very dark at this point. While it will get better in time, there's nothing quite as tragic as childhood and this time we don't have a Kakashi or even an Itachi to liven things up.

* * *

**Dedication: **Shout out to Demeterr. ;) This is like, the bazillion-th one but I never get tired of doing it.

**Disclaimer: **Not ours.

* * *

**Pandemonium  
**_just a fancy word for chaos_

_  
_**Chapter Two  
**by aixyutin and clockwork starlight

* * *

It was Hanabi's birthday party.

Hanabi turned three right before the wisteria blossomed in the east garden. As she sat, doll-like and perfect, her little fingers plucked at her brand new yukata idly. It was a pretty enough yukata, with blooming sakura stitched onto golden branches. However, it was too stiff, too pink, and too heavy for a three year old.

Despite the frivolous nature of the word "birthday party", the whole affair was conducted with the same solemnity that marked all Clan events. Hanabi turning three was really just another excuse for the Hyuuga to flaunt their awe-inducing power. Everyone who was anyone attended, and everyone who was everyone watched each other's movements with hawk eyes. Hinata's fingers fluttered nervously as she guided her baby sister through the ceremony under so many gazes that were so heavy with intent.

She wasn't the only one feeling uncomfortable.

Sasuke looked ill at ease in one of Neji's old haori. Although he didn't show it, the boy was inwardly dismayed at the fact he wore _Hyuuga _clothing on his back. The kitchen aunties had kept telling him they were just much too busy to sew the little fan on, because it was Hanabi's third birthday and it was important there'd be lots of good food. Although Hinata had found him rooting through his closet, all his old clothes seemed so poor and dirty compared to the hand-me-down on the bed.

_Uchiha Itachi's hand-me-down clothes had been long burnt._

At least the haori was of a dark color. Hinata's eyes traced the fine silk with idle eyes. _Of course_ Neji nii-san kept everything neat and clean. The bandages on her cousin's forehead were always fresh and white... in contrast to his old and dark eyes.

_Just like her father's._

She was all of seven and a half and Hinat _knew_ exactly why her Neji nii-san hated her.

She was a quiet child after all, and even Hyuuga tongues loosened when they thought she could not understand.

How unfortunate Neji's father had been and what a shame it was for little Neji to be _so_ talented and yet _Hizashi's_ son.

Hinata pieced the truth together, bit by bit.

_In the end, it was her fault after all. _

**"Hinata!"**

Hinata flinched at her father's voice and then obediently tapped on Hanabi's shoulder. Hanabi struggled to her feet and Hinata kept a careful, steady hand on the little girl's shoulder as they walked out into the garden.

"So these are your daughters… you must be very proud of them." The man had one eye and a chilling imitation of a smile.

"You flatter me, Danzo-san," her father replied smoothly.

Hinata allowed her attention to wander while the adults played their grown up games. Although she knew she was supposed to pay attention, she couldn't find it within herself to do more than Hanabi from rocking back and forth in her geta.

Even three-year-olds were subject to the unspoken laws of the Hyuuga.

Hinata's thoughts took her to another party from another time. Even she had been three a long, long, time ago. Even then, the laws had been the same.

* * *

_Grandfather had introduced Konoha's honored guest who had come a far, far away place called Cloud. The important man had smiled at her and told her parents their daughter would grow up to be a lovely young woman._

_She'd been pleased and had fallen asleep quite easily that night after her mother had put her to bed and after her cousin had snuck in to say good night. _

_There had been no moon that night, but a shadow darker than the others had stolen into her room and had taken the only worthless thing there._

_By the time she had awoken, she was in her mother's arms, held so tight she nearly couldn't breathe. Her father, looking harsher than she had ever seen, had been kneeling next to that man, not caring about the red creeping up his robes. Hinata had buried her face in her mother's white, white neck but even the clean soapy smell couldn't mask the stench of blood completely._

_There had been an argument, loud and upset. Her mother said to stay in her room, Hokage-sama was meeting with her father._

_It was her fault._

* * *

"**Hinata-sama."**

Neji had noticed her distraction.

"Thank you," Hinata whispered, touched by his concern. However, instead of smiling softly like he used to do, he glared.

"Focus, Hinata-sama."

_You used to call me Hinata-chan when no one else was looking…_

Hinata tensed at the bite in his voice but swallowed her instinctive whimper. She tried to distract herself by watching the other guests and found herself glancing back at Sasuke again. Despite his obvious discomfort in the unfamiliar robe, Sasuke stood as straight and proud as ever. Although there was a slight glaze of boredom in his eyes, his eyes were dark and cold. He endured the stiff process with a calmness as expected of the little shinobi prince he was.

Hinata wished she could be like Sasuke.

Hinata wished she were three again. Hinata wished for hugs. Hinata wished for her mother—

Hinata wished for a lot of things.

That night, after Hinata laid her mentally exhausted form on her futon, she dreamt an old nightmare she thought she'd grown out of.

* * *

_It was dark, oh so very dark and silent. The only thing she could see was the searing image of her uncle's back._

_Uncle was leaving, and her little feet couldn't keep up. She tried to run after him, but smiling shadows wound round and round and round her ankles. _

_Hinata tried to call to him, tell him to stay, that he would make Neji nii-san sad, so sad and angry, so very angry. She tried to tell him about her father but the shadows grew bigger and bigger and they clawed, oh how they clawed at her legs. The shadows tore a hole in the world and even though her little arms desperately reached, she fell through it, cold and alone—_

_"Don't leave," she screamed, but the hole swallowed her words just as it swallowed her._

* * *

He had awoken to the sound of creaking floorboards.

It was the kind of creaking that could only be made on polished Hyuuga floors by heavy uneven steps. Although he had no Sharingan, Sasuke had enough spatial awareness to feel the presence of a person outside his door. With the assuredness and curiosity characteristic of all children his age, he rose and approached the door. In the same time it took for one thought to jump to the next, Sasuke slid the door open bravely and stepped out into the cold hallway. To be fair, he was holding a kunai in one hand; a kunai that quickly vanished when he realized exactly who it was sleep-walking in the hallway.

Somehow, Hinata had teetered out of her room and was standing in the middle of hallway. Although her eyes were open, they had a blank and dull quality that reminded Sasuke of the dead. As she walked baby steps, almost hitting the wall, her mouth moved furiously. She murmured almost unintelligible whispers... but otherwise, she was silent. She looked like a broken puppet-doll whose strings had been cut.

"**Hyuuga**," he whispered harshly, not wanting to wake up anyone else. His efforts were in vain and Hinata continued her faltering steps down the hallway.

_Not _good.

Sasuke approached her warily as one would approach a cornered, spiteful cat. Like a cat, just as he was about to brush her arm, she shielded, sensing an attacker even in her dreams. Unfortunately Hinata tripped over her own long sleeping robe and fell to the floor before Sasuke could even think about touching her (never mind _catching _her). For a moment, Sasuke thought the shock of impact was enough to wake the seconds dragged by however, she remained motionless and utterly still.

Despite his inner misgivings, Sasuke wasn't one to leave a trembling girl on the ground. His small feet pattered over the cold floor and he reached down to shake the girl awake.

"_Don't leave_."

Sasuke reeled. His pupils dilated as her harsh, mournful and heavy whisper registered in his ears. He stared at her still form in shock and for a moment he thought he saw the superimposed image of his mother's broken form. He forced his trembles aside and then roughly flipped the girl over. He ignored the inner voice of a mother long dead that said it was _not _nice to do that to girls.

Hyuuga Hinata was alive. Uchiha Mikoto was not.

"Wake _up_, Hyuuga," he hissed in her blank face.

Who was he to know that she would react so explosively?

Her whole body tensed and that was the only warning Sasuke got right before her fingers shaped into claws and literally flew at his face. Despite his superior speed, he just barely grabbed her wrists in time. In the low light of the hallway, her hands look grotesque and it took all of Sasuke's inner determination not to yell.

Hinata apparently did _not _like being restrained. She began to flail and Sasuke was forced to use his own weight to keep her from moving. Despite his best efforts however, she managed to kick the floor violently with the back of her legs several times. Sasuke winced and inwardly prayed no one had heard that.

"Hyuuga wake up, wake up, wake _up_!" he hissed again, his voice just a bit louder this time as he struggled with her. This close, he could hear the keening undertone in her harsh breathing. Her lips were moving and although there was no sound, he could read the unspoken words:

_Don'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleave…_

"Hyu—," he bit off the rest of his sentence, realizing it was no use to simply restrain.

"**Hinata**," he hissed. To his surprise, she actually seemed to react just a little bit. Heartened, Sasuke gave one rough shake.

"Look Hinata, I'm not leaving so _wake up_!" Sasuke snarled.

Hinata froze and through the wrists he held in his hands, he felt her body stir even before her eyes sharpened into wakefulness.

_Finally_.

* * *

She was on the floor and something dark and heavy was pushing her down. Her first thought was _the shadows had followed her_. However, like it had done before, her Byagukan emerged in response to her great emotional distress and suddenly she could see bright chakra flowing in a shape of a person bent over her tense form. The scream that threatened to claw out caught when she saw the outline had very familiar spiky hair.

"Hinata."

"Sasuke," she breathed. If she were more awake, less afraid, and a bit older she would have been appalled by her lack of formality. As it was, her childish mind forgot propriety in that infinite space between asleep and awake.

Unlike last time, his chakra pathways were moderately even and consistent. While there were hints of distress and disturbance, for the most part Sasuke was calm and safely in control.

_Well, at least one of them was._

"Sasu—" she repeated, her voice a mix of drowsiness and desperation.

"Look, I'm not going anywhere, so _wake up_," Sasuke hissed angrily. Hinata was too sleepy to flinch and obediently did as she was told. As the fogginess in her mind evaporated and as her Byagukan flickered off in response to her calming mind, Hinata became aware of the Sasuke's bony and callused finger grabbing her wrists in an unwavering, almost painful grip. Her own fingers were clenched into claws and Hinata was mildly appalled to see how gruesome they looked.

"C'mon, get up," Sasuke muttered before he dragged her upwards onto a sitting position. Hinata, surprised, let herself be dragged upwards like a broken doll.

Despite her seemingly relaxed body language however, Sasuke refused to let go of her wrists. Although Hinata _looked _more or less stable now, Sasuke knew better than anyone how nightmares could travel into reality.

"W-what?" Hinata asked shakily, her eyes still slightly unfocused. In response, Sasuke gently but firmly jerked on her wrists to get her attention. He waited for her eyes to snap and to focus on his face before he spoke.

"You said don't leave," he intoned with all the emotion of a rock.

Hinata paled. Sasuke could feel her pulse flutter erratically as she glanced downwards, hiding behind her hair. Her eyes dilated and her body began to tremble again. Sasuke literally _felt _her begin to retreat back into herself--and he was having _none _of that. Not after he spent so much time dragging her out of it in the first place.

Out of instinct, Sasuke jerked her wrists again, and Hinata gasped at the unexpected violence of the motion. Although it wasn't painful, it was distracting and Hinata's neck rose so fast Sasuke could hear it crack.

"I am not leaving, Hinata," he said slowly as he stared into her large, frightened eyes. "So. Wake. Up."

Just like before, her trembling slowly ceased and her eyes snapped into focus again. Nonetheless, Sasuke kept a careful grip on her deceptively fragile wrists.

"Promise?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

The irony of the situation didn't escape Sasuke and he felt agitation crawl over him like an odious, poisonous snake. The word invoked so many bad memories that— It was hard and oh how his tongue seemed to stiffen, but he forced the word out of his mouth anyway because for once this wasn't about _him_ but it was about _someone else_ whom he _owed_—

"Promise," Sasuke said with a firmness he didn't inwardly feel. Much to his relief, she relaxed again.

"You two should be in bed." Even with the slightest trace of a yawn, there was a steely authority in Hiashi's voice that never failed to instill fear and attention.

Sasuke felt Hinata's shudder pass all the way through her body and onto his.

"Otou-sama," Hinata whispered, eyes wide as she whipped her head around to look at her father's impassive face.

"What is going on?" What are you doing _on the floor_ remained unspoken.

Hinata's mind faltered. Her lips parted to say words, but the right words wouldn't come out and she could only voice harsh, quick gasps. She began to retreat into herself yet again, this time from the fear that anything she said would cause her father's lips to twist in disgust (because she wasn't fit to be a Hyuuga). Through the tight grip he still held around her wrists, Sasuke felt Hinata's pulse jump and he could see her eyes go blank. Like before, he saw her curl and crumple like paper in fire. Like before, Sasuke practically _rejected_ that action and he squeezed her already bruised wrists in a silent warning before he pulled both of them up to a standing position. Once he was sure she could stand on her own, he casually dropped his hands so smoothly anyone less than Hiashi would have missed it.

"I woke up when I heard a noise in the hall. I think she fell," Sasuke said blandly, careful to keep his tone even as he skipped over Hinata's sleep walking incident. In contrast to his impassive and almost cold voice, his eyes were bright and they dared the head of the household to question him.

Hiashi's eyes were equally impassive as he eyed the two children. While Hinata remained frozen with fear, Sasuke's posture was almost indolent.

Interesting.

Hiashi was no fool and he, like every other Hyuuga, knew of the nightmares that plagued the Uchiha. Although they didn't come as often as they used to, there were occasional recurrences. Hiashi has seen the maid carrying the empty tea cup out of the Uchiha's room frequently and Hiashi _knew _with a conviction of a father and a Clanhead that Hinata was the one responsible.

_Hm._

Knowing the girl, she had probably tripped in her haste to get to the kitchen tonight and the Uchiha probably had woken at the first sound. The boy had good reflexes and Hiashi could see the latent potential of shinobi greatness within him; potential that his eldest daughter was, regretfully, lacking in.

"Go back to bed," Hiashi said firmly, the only form of "good night" he offered before he brusquely returned to his own bedroom. Just before he went back to sleep, his eyes were bitter and soft.

_Hinata really is too kind. __Too weak. _

_Unsuitable for the shinobi._

_Unsuitable for the Hyuuga._

* * *

The moment her father's back turned, Hinata sagged. By the time she could hear her father's door slide close, her whole body was practically trembling with relief.

"Thank you," she sighed, instinctively. She blinked and then glanced at the boy uncertainly, not knowing how to exactly express what she was thankful for in the correct words. Thankfully, although Hinata did not elaborate, Sasuke heard the underlying meaning. He, after all, had been through the whole harrowing experience with her.

"Go back to bed," he said curtly, turning away to head back to his room.

* * *

Hinata really had meant to let him go. She had meant to go back to her room and wake up the next day pretending none of this had happened.

But the sight of him turning away from her broke something in her because she'd seen too many shoulders in her life time and not even enough faces (her father's disappointed and rigid shoulder, Neji's hateful shoulder, her dead Uncle's back) and before she was even aware of it she was inhaling clean soap, cotton, and body warmth.

_Don't leave me_.

* * *

He had only taken two steps when something came up behind him and _pushed_. It threw him off balance and he hastily reached out to steady himself against the wall. Sasuke hissed as he felt bony arms encircle his waist and felt a bony face bury itself between his shoulder blades. Even when they were only seven and a half, he'd always been significantly taller than her.

"Let go Hyu—" Sasuke whisper-snarled even as Hinata whimpered, "Don't leave."

Sasuke froze. Hinata fearfully tightened her grip on his torso as she greedily absorbed his warmth and the sheer luxury of feeling a living, breathing body. If small gestures of affection such as hand-holding, caresses of the cheek, and all those small gestures of affection were rare in the Hyuuga households, hugs were practically nonexistent. Hinata couldn't remember the last time she'd hugged someone since her mother had died.

_Don't leave me_.

The hand on the wall clenched and unclenched as Sasuke wavered. While it wasn't exactly _nice_, something in him couldn't help but focus on the feeling of her warmth spreading into his.

The Hyuuga Household was rather cold at times.

Despite his inner turmoil, if it had been any other situation Sasuke would have (eventually and reluctantly but ultimately) thrown her off. However, the heavy tangy feeling of the word promise hung on the back of his tongue and sat heavily on his chest. Itachi had promised a lot of things—and he had _broken_ all of his promises.

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Hyuuga." She didn't answer.

"Hinata," Sasuke choked awkwardly, trying to forcefully peel her arms away. With a desperation that did and didn't surprise him, she held on tighter. Hinata absolutely, completely refused to let him go.

"Don't leave."

"Look _Hinata_," he growled. "I'm _not _leaving. So let go!"

Somehow, something in his voice got through the girl's mind. After a long pause, she hesitantly (almost suspiciously) peeled her arms away. Sasuke could not resist giving a sigh of relief as she stepped away, but tensed again as she grabbed his hand in a tight grip.

Sasuke gave an aggravated sigh but did not bother resisting.

"Come on."

That night, he sat next to her bed and held her hand until she finally fell asleep. Although his hand ached when he finally disentangled himself somehow—

Sasuke couldn't bring himself to hate the weak girl.

* * *

edited 1.2.2010

**Authors' Notes:**

If you praise, please praise _both _of us. I, aixyutin, will be very annoyed if people fail to recognize clockwork's genius… and clockwork thinks I'm just wasting my time because she knows you're all so impressed by this _exquisite _chapter you'll fail to read the authors' notes anyway.

Ah well.

Other than that, _**review**_. **Golden cycle!**

**Ramblings of Co-Authorship:**

If you were wondering how we two geniuses do it:

First, have _aixyutin_ script a basic plot. Then, have_ clockwork_ chuck it at a wall. Keep the bits and pieces that survive the impact. Repeat process until you have some semblance of a chapter.

Second, mash the bits into an even consistency with an unholy glee that would send all of Macbeth's witches to high hell. Have _clockwork_ work her magic and then sit back and watch as _aixyutin_ runs around like a chicken.

Third, ignore the unholy cackling as the two authors plot. We guarantee you it would drive _you _to the high hells.

Unlike many co-authors, we do not believe in the "you write a paragraph, I write a paragraph" sort of thing. We do, however, have our individual preferences. I **dare you all** to guess which of the two characters (Sasuke or Hinata) was scripted predominantly by me and which one was scripted predominantly by clockwork.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes:** Long time no see. I'm back. Hopefully for good. Enough said.

* * *

**Disclaimer: **not mine.

Written in an effort to coax a** certain clockwork starlight **back.

* * *

**Pandemonium  
**_just a fancy word for chaos_

* * *

Although Sasuke would never realize this, he had been his mother's favorite son.

It wasn't an oft-known fact, but Uchiha Mikoto's mother had been civilian. Not to say she wasn't a strong woman. You had to be in order to survive within the Uchiha family. But for all her grit and steel, Sasuke's maternal grandmother had a penchant for physical affection and constant "Iloveyous" that could only come from a "normal", "safe" background. Although Mikoto had been "properly" raised enough to keep outsiders at an appropriate distance away (no less than the average man's arm span), some of her mother's influences had carried over to her own family. Fugaku may have only seen her as the mother of his children, and while Itachi had been taken away from her far too young, Sasuke was _hers_. Fugaku had been too focused on Itachi to interfere with the way she wanted to raise Sasuke, and as such Mikoto saw all of Sasuke's strength, character, and flaws as a direct reflection of her maternal actions. So while he wasn't quite able to throw a kunai blind by age four, it was Sasuke who seemed to intuitively sense what Itachi had to deductively reason. It was Sasuke who received her hugs, kisses, caresses, which directly translated to Sasuke being a fairly happy child, as easy with giving affection as he was with receiving it. But of course, by the time he was formally inducted to the Hyuuga clan, no one thought of happy children that pounce on their brothers' back and whine for piggyback rides. Such children were rare enough in the Hyuuga Clan as it was, and even at such a tender age there was no way Sasuke was letting any weakness show under the thick, heavy scrutiny of the Hyuuga Elders.

_But._

But while Sasuke had been traumatized enough, young enough, and certainly smart enough to quickly adopt the traditional shinobi mask even before his parents' corpses turned cold, he had been Mikoto's favorite son for much longer than he had been adopted charge of the Hyuuga when Hyuuga Hinata had first ventured into his room. For all his brilliant self-control, it was difficult to suppress a childhood of love and affection, especially in front of the person who'd seen you scream and cry.

Hyuuga Hinata was not, perhaps, the ideal person to handle Uchiha Sasuke. But she had been there at the right place and at the right time. No child, no matter how strong or self-sufficient, would choose to live an emotionally unattached life given the choice. Doing otherwise was defying humanity. Shinobi certainly defied a lot of the common held axioms of human strength, speed, and power, but they were still human.

They were human until they died.

* * *

It was winter, and Uchiha Sasuke had been here for two months.

In what was then quickly becoming a set routine, Hyuuga Hinata peeled herself away from her warm futon and shivered in the chilly air. It was winter, and the sun was not out yet. Although Hinata dressed quickly in the dark, he was already hitting away in the snow when she finally arrived at the training ground.

"Good morning," she said quietly, her breaths making small visible puffs. Sasuke, like always, made a scratchy sound that might have been a cross between a grunt and a snort. Hinata was tempted to snort back, but she couldn't quite summon the necessary courage. Instead, she narrowed her eyes at his thin sweaty shirt. Even after she had delicately mentioned it for days now, he continued to refuse the jackets, sweaters, whatever she could coax into his closets.

_Boys._

Schooling her mind and body into focus, Hinata forced herself through her set katas. Her sleepy muscles creaked, and although she'd been doing this for years, even she bit back a hiss of fatigue as she made her way through twenty right-handed Jyuuken strikes, twenty left-handed Jyuuken strikes, twenty alternating, finishing with ten final strikes that included the trademark graceful but dastardly difficult swivel on the left heel for a quick and potentially life-saving pivot. By the time she'd finished in a dazzling flurry of snow, dawn had arrived and she was sweating.

Usually, she was stronger than this. But her father had been particularly strict yesterday, and she was still fatigued from ensuing intense training session. It wouldn't have been that bad if Father hadn't looked so disappointed, which made Hyuuga Hinata secretly wonder why she even bothered. Of course, that thought was viciously squashed, but it was enough to make her mind to flutter. Hinata missed the last step and careened forward into the snow.

Sasuke barely reached her time. Twisting in one movement from a kick at the training log to a leap to his left, he grabbed Hinata's shirt as if she were a rag doll and jerked her away from the ground. Despite his best intentions however, it wasn't enough to prevent her ankle from spraining.

Hinata hissed and gingerly sat down. After taking a quick inventory—nothing else besides bruises—she poked at her swelling ankle and grimaced.

"Ko needs to see that before breakfast," Sasuke said over her, letting the obvious hang in the air for obvious' sake. No longer moving, he shivered in the cold.

Hinata dumbly nodded. Although she should be embarrassed for making such an elementary mistake, frankly she was still so tired and Sasuke—Sasuke was Sasuke. Bracing herself for the pain, Hinata steeled herself to make a shaky stand. But before she could shift her weight wholly onto her right foot, a hand appeared. Hinata stared upwards at Sasuke's glowering face with wide eyes.

"What are you waiting for?" Sasuke barked.

Hinata squeaked, ducking her head as she hesitantly grasped his hand. Sasuke rolled his eyes, tightened his grip on her slack fingers, and easily pulled her up.

"T-thank you," Hinata stammered.

"It's not a big deal."

"I-I'm sorry," she whimpered.

"Stop stuttering. I'm not going to bite you," Sasuke muttered petulantly, finally releasing her hand.

Hinata very, very hesitantly nodded.

"Che."

He let her walk back to the house herself. But although he didn't quite support her, he made sure to walk just one step behind her the whole way, ready to steady her at the slightest stumble. By the time they'd reached the breakfast table, Hinata's ankle had been successfully, covertly healed. Hiashi pretended he didn't notice.

The next day, Hinata forced Sasuke to wear a jacket despite his protests.

Sasuke did not get a cold that winter.

* * *

It was spring, and Sasuke had been here for six months.

Neji hadn't said anything. But he never needed to. One look, and the moment he turned around the corner, Hinata crumpled onto the ground. Or she would have, if her forehead weren't suddenly poked.

"Ah!" She pressed a cool hand against her smarting forehead and glared accusingly at Sasuke—or at least, as accusingly as the soft-spoken Hinata could possibly be.

"Stop being an idiot," Sasuke muttered as he retracted his guilty index finger.

"You hit me."

"Because you were an idiot," Sasuke drawled. In retrospect, he should have considered his words.

Sasuke cursed as Hinata's hand glided past his elbow. Although he jerked his arm back before her fingers could snake up his shoulder, he could tell from the way his chakra tingled unpleasantly that at least a couple of tenketsu had been sealed up.

"You hit me," Sasuke incredulously said, child voice squeaking. He cleared his throat and then narrowed his eyes.

"Because you are—" Hinata danced away from Sasuke's retaliatory swipe, before scampering down the hall with Sasuke in swift chase. The watching Hyuuga didn't exactly approve, but it'd been a while since Sasuke had looked so light-hearted, and the Hyuuga weren't heartless. A little cruel perhaps, a little realpolitick, but not heartless.

Neji was rambunctiously forgotten.

* * *

It was summer, and Sasuke had been here for ten months.

Hanabi had watched the boy slowly, but surely ingrain himself into her family's life. Neji hated him. Father put time aside to train him. And Hinata— Hinata had seemingly _melded_ with this intruder. First it was the training, and then suddenly _this boy _was flicking her sister's forehead, tugging on her sister's hair, having side-conversations with her sister even when the Elders were talking. Even the servants seemed to think of the two as a singular unit; where one was, the other undoubtedly followed. Unless of course, Hyuuga Hiashi happened to be involved.

"Sasuke."

"Hanabi," Sasuke acknowledged with short nod. "Have you seen Hinata?" he inevitably asked.

"She's with Father."

"Ah." Sasuke turned on his heel to head back to the training ground. Hinata was always a mess after any extended period with Hiashi, and she had a nasty habit of taking it out on a training log in the most brutal, bloody manner possible. He'll catch her there eventually. Sasuke mentally reminded himself to pick up extra bandages when he passed his room.

"Sasuke?" four-year-old Hanabi blurted out.

"What?" Sasuke called over his shoulder, a little irritably, mostly just uncaring.

"I—" Too late. Hanabi watched him disappear behind the corner.

* * *

It was a fall sunset, and Sasuke lived with her.

"Hinata."

"Hm, Sasuke?" Hinata answered absentmindedly, a smile of contentment on her baby-fat face. Her fingers carefully dipped amongst the jars and canisters that littered the area. A pinch of rare herb here, coupled with lavender—

"When do you think we'll die?"

Hinata paused. She turned to stare at eight-year-old Sasuke, who stood facing the open shoji door that lead to the garden. He seemed to enjoy watching the sky turn a dusky red, and Hinata did not mind his meditative presence as she prepared her Hyuuga remedies.

"As Genin? Chuunin? Jounin? ANBU? Or will we actually live long enough to retire?" Hinata watched the Uchiha symbol on Sasuke's back flicker as he took one breath after another. Even then, he had muscle, and they were just beginning to ripple as he moved.

"I'm won't die until I kill my brother first." Hinata flinched.

"What?" Sasuke snarled, turning around to catch her eye. Hinata hid her face with her hair and her work.

"The Hyuuga protect their own," Hinata said softly to the herbs in her hand. They were Clan words, oft-spoken, oft-repeated, and Hinata was a well-trained bird. Sasuke waited for her to go on, but Hinata remained stubbornly silent. Soon enough, her hands were moving again, and the sound of spoons and other tools clicking against glass made comfortable white noise.

Sasuke thought her words came out too easily.

"I am not Hyuuga," Sasuke challenged.

Hinata waited until she'd assembled all the ingredients before finally meeting Sasuke's gaze.

"The Hyuuga protect their own," she repeated into the heavy, expectant air. Ignoring Sasuke's contemptuous shrug, Hinata turned back to her task and began to grind the mixture into fine dust.

Sasuke watched the bloody dusk die away to the sound of mortar and pestle.

* * *

Review！ Review review review! I check my inbox obsessively for your reviews... starving muse aside, anyone catch the little hints? :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Pandemonium**

_just a fancy word for chaos  
_

**Chapter Four**

* * *

The Hyuuga were a proud family.

What happened in the family stayed in the family. Skeletons stayed buried in closets for generations until they fossilized. Dirty laundry was washed only by the scantest of moonlight. Every Hyuuga was taught to believe that there was a greedy, dangerous world out there that died and killed to get at the power murmuring in their genes, and although the Hyuuga served Konohagakure faithfully in return for protection, every Hyuuga ultimately trusted only other Hyuuga to guard their pale, perfect eyes.

Thus, personal feelings for other family members aside, the Hyuuga presented a public image of absolute, structured unity. This perfection was enforced through absolute training, absolute blood, and the absolute belief that an insult to the individual was an insult to the family, to be punished with a vengeance.

Uchiha Sasuke was no Hyuuga, but he had been raised as one. The doctrine of speak-no-family-ill-outside-these-Hyuuga-walls was impressed on him through mild cues and blatant instruction from the moment he stepped into the Main House. Hiashi had watched and handled Sasuke as carefully as he handled his own flesh and blood, and even the most finicky Elder admitted that Hiashi had been a most devoted and responsible guardian. But perhaps blood really was thicker than water, because although the societal construct that was Uchiha Sasuke seemed to assimilate and obey most rules, there was one issue that Sasuke absolutely refused to compromise on.

The cracks on Sasuke's perfect facade appeared when a Hyuuga maid found eight-year-old Sasuke with second-degree chakra burns on his arms. Startling as it was, it wasn't quite as startling as the sight of young Hyuuga Neji with a beautiful black eye and a split lip. The Clan definitely rumbled at the sight of that because while Uchiha was, in a sense, their own, Neji had their blood. But the incident passed relatively unpunished underneath the stern eyes of the Hyuuga Head, and the Hyuuga quieted down soon enough. They didn't know what Hiashi knew. Hiashi had not been distracted by the uproar. He had seen the small bruise marks on Hinata's arms, just as he saw the way Sasuke markedly put his body between tiny Hinata and sneering Neji thereafter. No, Hiashi was not blind, but even with perfect information, he had no perfect solution. Torn between adopted charge, nephew, and eldest daughter, Hiashi decided to let the issue quietly gather dust—and snowball. By the time Hinata and Sasuke entered the Academy, the whole Hyuuga house worked as one seamless machine to keep the Uchiha away from the late Hizashi's son. Really, they wouldn't have bothered so much even if he was the last Uchiha, if it weren't the fact the two children had a terrible habit of clashing outside Hyuuga walls. After the last raised eyebrow from a no-name shinobi, the Elders gave up lecturing Sasuke and settled for ordering Neji to pay the Uchiha a wide berth. Unsurprisingly, this seemed to make the boy only ever more resentful, and although fights occurred less frequently, they were fought with an ever escalating ferocity.

The second crack came when nine year old Sasuke outright tackled an Elder. Again an uproar, and again, Hiashi brushed the incident aside because again, only he remembered what the Elder had been saying at the time. By the time Sasuke turned ten, the whole Hyuuga learned that any time Hinata's lips began to quiver, there would be a dark blur, a flash of black eyes, and usually a fist or a feet smashing into something fleshy and breakable. Although no one exactly approved—truly little Hyuuga Hinata ought to be able to fight her own battles—out of deference to their Clan Head's leniency, they all learned to keep their tone and flinty eyes respectful and demurred. Everyone except Neji that was.

Beyond these flaws however, the Uchiha was tolerable. Acceptable. Perhaps not the perfect asset the Elders wanted, but he served their purposes well enough. Strength excused almost all offenses, and so the Hyuuga learned to bite their tongue whenever Sasuke refused their tailored Hyuuga-marked clothes in favor for the Uchiha symbol. The Hokage paid the Hyuugas the respect they deserved, and they were undoubtedly the preeminent clan of Konahagakure. The Academy teachers had nothing but praise for him, and truly, if only Hinata had half of his talent, life would be perfect for the Hyuuga.

* * *

Class was boring as usual. Really, for anyone who came from any family that mattered, the Academy was just a formality.

Not for the first time, twelve-year-old Sasuke scoffed at the civilians—especially the crazy one with pink hair—taking notes. Hinata, who even a whole classroom away could sense him—how she managed to do so was one of those facts of life that Sasuke accepted with the readiness he accepted that the sun always rose in the east— gave a small sigh.

Sasuke shifted rebelliously in his seat. Even after all these years, Hinata was just as nice as ever. Which was fine, if it wasn't for the fact she had a nasty habit of moralizing at him to be "nice" as well.

Hinata pressed her fingers on the table. It was the most public show of irritation he was ever going to get out of her, and Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if she was still annoyed at him for this morning. It wasn't his fault they'd almost been late. Hiashi was in one of his lecturing moods, although admittedly, Sasuke's insistence on tomatoes in his lunchbox may have held them up that extra second.

Girls.

Sasuke glanced around the class again, only to pause when he noticed the absence of orange and blond. Where Naruto had disappeared to, Sasuke would never know, but Sasuke did know that he ought to be wary. The idiot was always up to mischief, and as amusing as it was at times, Sasuke did not want to be caught in the crossfire.

Speak of the devil.

Sasuke had just enough time and sense to jump toward the back of the classroom when something underneath the teacher's desk suddenly exploded. As paint showered the room, Sasuke could make out a telltale orange blond streak chortling at the door.

Hinata, who had been sitting in the second row, wasn't quite so lucky. Although she had managed to dodge behind a quickly raised textbook, her hair had flecks of green and white in it. But Sasuke didn't need to look at her face to know she wasn't annoyed. Hinata had a strange penchant for the pesky blond, and even at Naruto's worst, Hinata always maintained a serene, even shy smile. It irritated Sasuke. Greatly. Hinata certainly hadn't felt the need to extend that same courtesy to Sasuke himself. She got angry with him plenty of times.

Che.

The initial amusement of watching the inept Chuunin being showed up by the most idiotic of Academy students died. Sasuke's face was carefully blank when the enraged teacher barely mouthed out the words "early lunch" before furiously dragging the still-chortling Naruto out the room. The students predictably cheered, and Sasuke soon let himself be dragged by the crowd outside.

The boys yelled and ran for their usual spots near the swings. The girls clustered, giggled, watched adoringly as Sasuke walked by. Despite their eager eyes, no one dared to approach.

Hyuuga Hinata was waiting, bento box in hand and the barest of frowns on her face.

"Are you alright?" Hinata said.

"I'm fine," Sasuke snarled.

Hinata furrowed her eyebrows and wordlessly handed him his bento box. There was nothing else for Sasuke to do but take the offered lunch. Any fight here at the Academy playground would be too public, and Sasuke knew from experience that anything remotely untoward would fall on Hinata's head. As agitated as he was, Sasuke wouldn't do that to her.

Sasuke ate his lunch with more violence than necessary. In contrast, Hinata ate hers with inhuman calm. They ate sitting next to each other under the same tree they'd chosen two years ago on the first day of Academy. The tree, silent and uncaring, was unperturbed by the rising tension.

Not too far away, Haruno Sakura watched with barely concealed envy. She couldn't hear any words, but that wasn't unusual. Hinata and Sasuke were notoriously quiet, and even Ino couldn't get the girl to speak more than a few shy sentences. But from her vantage point, half a mind on the usual girly chatter and the other half watching the silent pair, Sakura thought the two looked comfortable enough.

Ever since Uchiha Sasuke had first entered the Academy two years ago, every girl give or take five years from the benchmark age of ten had been smitten. He was like a doll, only better because he was still pretty in a guy way. Although Sasuke could be rude, he was more polite than most of the other disgusting boys who picked their nose and farted in public. In short, Sasuke was a dream come true.

Sometimes Sakura couldn't help but wonder which was worse: that Sasuke existed or that Sasuke didn't exist for her. If it wasn't for Sasuke, Sakura would have never believed such a boy could possibly exist, which would be sad. But on the other hand, it almost felt just as bad to see such a cute boy be so completely out of her reach. Unlike some of the other boys—and indeed, there were a few cute ones, just none as cute as Sasuke—Sasuke didn't even bother playing the game of pretend-you-don't-exist-but-I'll-squeal-and-scream-cooties-if-you-approached. Sasuke flat out ignored every girl that wasn't that damned Hyuuga Hinata. He ignored their bentos, he ignored their cries, and Sakura hadn't failed to notice how Hinata was the only one who was allowed to call Sasuke's name without honorifics.

Sakura could remember the first few days of the Academy. Back then, everything had been so new, so fresh; everyone had been so inexperienced and unknowing. Of course they'd mobbed Sasuke. They'd cut out hearts, folded origami cranes, spent all night making sloppy bento-boxes, all so they could grab his attention for just one heart-stopping moment.

Sasuke had let them squeal. At first. He didn't hit them, nor did he even scream. If anything, he'd almost been like every other shy boy, bewildered into speechless shock by the sudden attention he received. But when one of the girls made a mistake of throwing a hissy fit about Hinata, things went swiftly downhill. It was almost fortunate that the girl in question had a boy cousin who intervened. Not so much to defend her, but more so as to act as a punching bag for an enraged Sasuke. The Instructors had stepped in quickly, but not quickly enough.

"Stupid," Ino had muttered. "Sasuke would never hit a girl." Although Sakura nodded and pretended to agreed, deep down she wasn't so sure. Regardless of the true intentions, ever since then it had become a well-established play ground rule that both Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata were strictly off-limits. Sasuke didn't seem to mind when some of the other clan-ed kids—slang used by civilians to refer to Academy students whose shinobi ancestors stretched back at least four generations—such as Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino moved to talk with Hinata, although the girl in question often seemed to be rather reluctant to speak. Sasuke had even grudgingly, very grudgingly, allowed Ino to approach them on the rare occasion. Sakura, whose parents were merchants, was afforded no such courtesy.

"That lazy bastard better not graduate before me."

"What?" Sakura turned and blinked at her beautiful, blonde best-friend.

"The Genin Exams. Honestly Sakura, have you been listening to a word I said?"

Sakura blushed when the question finally settled into her mind. "Sort of," she mumbled. "Are you nervous?"

"A bit," Ino admitted. "But I'll rather die than let Shikamaru get ahead of me," Ino grumbled.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Sakura said automatically. Her head nodded and her fingers brushed Ino's sleeve even as her eyes slid away to the two silent figures beneath the tree.

Life wasn't fair.

* * *

The moment class was over, Sasuke leapt to his feet and made a beeline for the door. The girls and boys cleared a way for him, and Sasuke did not look back to check if Hinata was following. If she got lost in the crush, Sasuke would have words—an interesting turn of phrase he'd picked up from sitting through so many Clan meetings. It was the Hyuuga Elders's way of saying I'll Hyuuga—or in this case, Uchiha—you into at least the third level of hell.

"Sasuke, I need to run an errand."

Sasuke paused just outside the Academy building and cocked his head. He felt Hinata's presence hover right behind his shoulder.

"Long errand or short?" he frowned suspiciously.

Hinata made a small humming sound. "Short—one of my cousins just had a baby and I want to buy flowers."

Sasuke visibly twitched. "Let's go, before Yamanaka gets back home."

Hinata laughed underneath her breath. Personally she thought Ino was a nice girl, loud and bright. Hinata envied her sometimes.

"Teme!"

Hinata blinked and would have turned if Sasuke had not grabbed her arm. Hinata barely had time to brace herself before he suddenly began to run. Hinata allowed herself to be pulled along, although just before they crossed the street she thought she heard the word 'coward' echo across the playground.

"I don't want to waste time on that Naruto-baka," Sasuke muttered darkly.

"I don't understand why you dislike him so much."

"And I don't understand why you don't!" Sasuke hissed. Hinata huffed but allowed him to loosen his grip just slightly, so his hand slid down her arm to grab her own sticky hand.

It wasn't market day, but the village bustled nonetheless. Merchants, villagers, and customers of death and dagger crowded Konahagakure's streets. It was just as well that the shinobi—shinobi with real hitaites, not delusional Academy students who thought they could throw a kunai—ran over the roofs. As Sasuke watched one of them flit by, kunai and hitaite glinting in the sun, he couldn't help but feel envy.

_I'll be one of them tomorrow._

It was easy to tell who was a local and who was a foreigner from the way they reacted to Hinata's eyes. The locals smiled and nodded, while the foreigners either flinched or pretended not to see. Both of the children were long used to this kind of attention, and they didn't think twice about feeling eyes hover over them as the two flew into one of the side-roads and headed for the Yamanaka florist shop.

Somewhere distant and yet close, a masked man slowly blinked and walked away.

"Why, if it isn't little Hinata!"

Hinata immediately bowed to Ino's mother. "Yamanaka-sama," she said.

"Don't -sama me! I'm no lady," Ino's mother chuckled. In a way, it was true. Yamanaka Kaoru was only a civilian despite her marriage to Yamanaka Inoichi. The Yamanakas were not quite as insistent on shinobi bloodlines as other clans, for most of their heritage was not reliant on bloodline, but still the Elders had not taken it too kindly when Ino's father had first declared his intent to marry Kaoru so many years ago. Despite her civilian background, Yamanaka Kaoru had proven to be a loving mother, and more importantly, an apt administrator of Yamanaka funds and the extended Yamanaka family. Even the Hyuuga Elders openly admired her, although they were just as quick to remind Hinata that they would not condone such a marriage for the Hyuuga Heiress.

"And you must be Sasuke! My daughters chatters on and on about you. Must be difficult being so handsome, eh?" Yamanaka Kaoru said with a wink.

Much to Hinata's inward amazement, Sasuke almost like abashed. "It's fine," he muttered. Kaoru laughed and waved him off.

"Boys will be boys and girls will be girls. But anyway, Hinata-chan, what brings you here today?"

"One of my cousins just had a child and I wanted to give her flowers," Hinata said shyly. Sasuke protectively hovered around her, not going as far as to put his body in between Hinata and a bemused Kaoru, but his eyes were politely wary, if such a thing were possible.

Aw, cute.

"Daisies then," Yamanaka Kaoru said, thinking out loud, pretending not to notice. "Nothing like daisies for a new mother." She bustled toward the back of the store. "Wait a moment!"

"She's not so bad," Hinata whispered. Sasuke shrugged. Hinata took it as a good sign.

Kaoru soon returned with a beautiful bouquet of daisies. She insisted on giving Hinata discount and then sent away the girl with a smile and wave of her hand. "Sasuke, come here for a moment."

Sasuke reluctantly approached. Hinata curiously lingered at the door, until Kaoru made a shooing motion, forcing the girl to step outside.

"Be nice to Hinata-chan or else someone will take her away," Kaoru whispered into Sasuke's ear.

Sasuke flushed and didn't even bother to say good bye before he stomped out. Kaoru bit back a giggle as she watched the boy dodge Hinata's questions and forcefully drag the girl away. Just as they disappeared behind the corner, the bells attached to the front door jingled.

"Okaa-san, I'm home!"

"Ino, don't shout so loudly," Kaoru scolded. Ino shrugged.

"Okaa-ssan, there's a Genin test tomorrow. I think I'll actually pass this time!"

"Congratulations," Kaoru said. She smiled and did her best to hide her unease. She knew from the moment Ino had been born what her child was destined for—it didn't make the fact any easier.

'They grow up so fast,' Kaoru thought. She looked wistfully at her beautiful daughter.

"Anyway Ino, did you know you just missed Sasuke and Hinata?"

Like Kaoru expected, her daughter squealed. "Sasuke-kun was here?" Kaoru thought that if she squinted, she could almost see hearts twinkling in the air around Ino. For a brief moment, she wondered if she should warn her little daughter. But Ino was fast approaching the age where Kaoru could no longer protect her. Kaoru didn't know the head or a tail of a kunai, but in matters of the heart, she thought she knew a thing or two, and her instincts were telling her to lay low.

After all, even if Ino was soon being sent out to risk her life, she was still only a twelve-year-old girl.

* * *

"Hinata-sama, Uchiha-kun, I didn't expect you to come!"

Hinata shook her head. "No, don't say that." She smiled at the small, tiny, helpless bundle. "Hello Hideaki-kun."

Branch member Hyuuga Kyoko chuckled and looked fondly down at her new son. "He's quiet now, at least."

"Does he…?"

"Yes, he has the Byagukan." Kyoko's eyes dropped. Her husband looked away. "He'll have the sealing ceremony in a month."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not Hinata-sama's fault," Kyoko managed cheerfully.

Sasuke watched as Hinata chattered quietly with the Branch Hyuuga. Even after all the years, Hinata still found it difficult to talk to strangers, but with her own family, she was all heart. The Elders may strive for cool, detached formality, but over the years Sasuke had noticed Branch family were somewhat informal, partially because of the outsiders that married into the family. Although the Branch family was still managed by the Hyuuga-head, love matches did happen from time to time, and outsiders, even outsiders that came from established shinobi families, were usually a lot more open about their affections. Hyuuga Kyoko had been lucky enough to marry for love, and although her husband was only a low-ranking Jounin, he quite obviously adored his wife.

It made Sasuke wonder whether or not his own parents had married for love.

Probably not.

"I don't want to bother you any longer. Thank you for having us," Hinata murmured.

"Don't say that, Hinata-sama! It was very kind of you to come." Kyoko moved to bow, but Hinata shook her head as she rose.

"Don't, you'll wake up the baby." She gave one last smile before she bowed and left. Sasuke nodded and vanished after her.

"The Elders would say you're wasting your time," Sasuke said idly as they walked toward the Main Compound. Hinata fiddled with her fingers.

"Do you think I'm wasting my time?" she whispered, hiding her eyes behind her bangs.

Sasuke thought for a moment and then poked her forehead. "If it makes you happy."

It wasn't exactly an answer, but from the way Hinata smiled, it was enough of an answer for her.

Behind them, Hyuuga Kyoko tucked in her newborn son into his crib with a sigh and moved to lean against her husband.

"So the rumors were true."

"Hm?" she murmured.

"The Uchiha really does follow Hinata like a dog."

Kyoko recoiled. "It's Hinata-sama!" she snapped. "And you should be thankful Sasuke is willing to protect her. Kami knows her life is hard enough as it is."

Her husband looked surprised. "Kyoko—"

"Don't speak of what you don't know." She softened. "I love you, but there are some things only a Hyuuga would understand."

* * *

"I heard a Genin test is happening tomorrow," Hyuuga Hiashi said calmly. Hinata tensed.

"Yes, Otou-sama," she said quietly. Neji pretended not to hear her while Hanabi peered out from behind her rice bowl. Sasuke pointedly snapped up the last of the fish.

"I'm sure both of you will do well." It was a discreet order.

The ends of Hinata's chopsticks trembled. "Yes, Otou-sama."

Although not so much as an eyebrow twitched, Neji got that look on his face, the look that made Sasuke want to smash his fist into Neji's nose. Sasuke forced his irritation away, and instead of placing the fish in his own bowl, he shoved it into Hinata's rice.

"Eat," he said curtly.

The chopsticks stopped trembling. "Thank you," Hinata murmured. Neji outright frowned, while Hanabi and Hiashi watched silently, thoughtfully.

Later that night, Hinata sneaked into Sasuke's room. Sasuke had been expecting her, and he raised himself on his elbows when he heard the paper door slide open. Hinata padded to kneel next to the futon.

"Don't tell me you're actually nervous," Sasuke said flatly. Hinata stared at the ground and pulled at her sleeping robe. She had outgrown the biting-lip habit when she was ten, after Sasuke had snapped at her about it for two years, but she still couldn't stop fidgeting whenever she got anxious.

"You'll do fine." Sasuke laid back down with a huff.

"But what if—"

Sasuke snorted. "If you don't, then I'll stay behind an extra quarter," he said calmly.

Hinata gasped. "You can't do that!"

Sasuke frowned. "Keep your voice down."

"But Sasuke, you can't."

"Of course I can't. Which means you have to pass."

Hinata blinked.

"We're supposed to be on the same Genin team, which means you have to graduate," Sasuke said. Even when lying down, he seemed to be able to shrug. "Don't worry about it, baka. Go back to sleep."

Once again, they weren't nice words, but Hinata brightened all the same. She tapped Sasuke's wrist twice.

"Good night. Thank you again."

"Baka, stop saying thank you," Sasuke muttered.

* * *

Iruka passed the Hyuuga Clan Head on his way into the Hokage's office. He immediately bowed and murmured greetings. Hiashi only nodded, and Iruka didn't have much time to wonder why Hiashi was having a meeting with the Hokage before he was called in.

"So, these are the results. I see that Naruto's name is on here as well," the Hokage said around his pipe as he stared at the list.

"Given the situation with Mizuki," Iruka said nervously. "I thought he deserved it."

"I agree. You weren't wrong in doing that," the Hokage said.

Iruka breathed a sigh of relief and then straightened. "I've taken to planning a draft of possible team combinations—"

"You've put Hinata and Sasuke together. Why is that?"

Iruka blinked. Out of all the teams he'd made, he hadn't expected to be questioned for that. When he had been drafting the teams, that combination had been one of the easiest and obvious ones to make, almost as easy and obvious as the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

"It's a very strong match, having a Hyuuga and a Uchiha placed together. Hinata is also the only girl who Sasuke actually likes." Iruka shifted, almost guiltily. "And given the custom of putting the last with the first, Naruto would be placed with Sasuke. Hinata is one of the few girls who doesn't discriminate against Naruto, so it also made sense to place her—"

The Hokage shook his head. Iruka snapped his mouth close immediately and waited.

"Place her with Shino and Kiba. Sakura can be moved to complete Team 7."

"Hokage-sama, if it isn't too presumptuous—can I ask why?"

The Hokage looked steadily at Iruka and rather gently said, "What do you think a Genin cell represents?"

"Sir?"

The Hokage took a long puff on his pipe before answering. "For one thing, it's survival. Ideally, all Genin would survive long enough to make Chuunin. Unlikely, but ideally that's the case. Thus, we must plan these cells out accordingly, in order to maximize the greatest survival for the greatest amount of people, all for the greatness of Konahagakure."

The Hokage gave a raspy chuckle. "At least, that's the mindset we tell ourselves. There's one thing we forget though, Iruka." The Hokage looked steadily into Iruka's eyes. "Beyond the fact that these are shinobi to our village, these are also individuals with their own circumstances. In the case of Hyuuga Hinata, there's more at stake here than survival."

"Tell me, Iruka. Do you believe Hinata will survive if she's placed with Sasuke? It's not a trick question."

"Yes?"

"Of course she will. And if she doesn't, it'll be in a situation where Sasuke dies as well. Don't look at me like that, you know as well as I do what kind of personality Sasuke has."

"Surviving is one thing, but Hinata needs to learn to be strong herself. If she is to become the Hyuuga Head some day, there are things she needs to learn that can only be learned away from Sasuke's shadow."

"As for Sasuke himself, it's about time he realizes there's a world besides himself and the Hyuugas. Not that I am not displeased with the relationship he's built with his foster family, but the Hyuuga Clan is a rather stratified society unto itself. Am I making sense or do I sound like a meddlesome old man?"

Iruka could only bow. He bowed deeply, sincerely. "I wish I could think like you, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage sighed.

"Don't think that way. I wish I could be like you, Iruka, and I do mean that sincerely." He slouched and glanced out the window, where Konahagakure glittered in the night. "I wish I didn't have to do this job. It makes an a man think of bad, no, evil thoughts about humanity. I'm too old for this."

* * *

"Class, settle down!"

Even Sasuke leaned forward. Anticipation hummed in the air, coursing from student to student like an electric current. Sakura gripped the edge of her desk, hard.

"I will now announce the teams. Team 1…"

Every girl that was announced in the first six teams sighed with disappointment. So much for their dreams to be placed with Sasuke-kun. In contrast, the girls that remained uncalled were close approaching the point of hysteria. Only Hyuuga Hinata remained somewhat close to calm. She mentally ticked off the boys left and tried her best not to blush when she realized Naruto remained un-called.

"Team 7. Uchiha Sasuke—"

As one, all the girls sucked in their breaths. Even the ones who knew there team assignations waited, wondering who would be the lucky girl they would all universally hate.

"Uzumaki Naruto—"

Naruto looked scandalized while Sasuke had a resigned, but unsurprised look on his face. He had been expecting it, given the Academy tradition of pairing the dead-last with the top rookie.

"—and Haruno Sakura."

The girls roared. Sakura's eyes were wide and her cheeks were flushed. She pointed at herself, as if not quite believing it. Three seats behind her, Hinata had gone very, very white. Next to her, Sasuke looked furious.

"Team 8—"

"Explain!"

In all the years he had attended the Academy, no one had ever heard Sasuke raise his voice. Sasuke was the cool kid, the one who always kept his head, even when Naruto did his worst. The classroom went silent.

"Excuse me?" Iruka said. Even from his seat in the very back of the classroom, Sasuke's dark eyes bored into Iruka's own, and although it really shouldn't be that scary, it was.

"Why am I placed with that team?" Sasuke gritted out.

"These are orders, Genin," Iruka snapped. "If you have issues with it you can return that forehead protector."

Hinata grabbed Sasuke's arm. She minutely shook her head. After a long moment, Sasuke sat down.

"Team 8, Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Hyuuga Hinata."

"It'll be fine," Hinata whispered. "It'll be fine."

"Saying it twice doesn't make it true," Sasuke snapped.

Hinata tugged on his arm. "We are shinobi," she said simply. "We will survive." She tried to smile. "Besides, it's not that bad."

Sasuke wasn't fooled. Despite Hinata's soft voice and even softer smile, it didn't hide the fact it really was that bad.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Below is my explanation in case readers are confused by the characterization. I do my best not to be out-of-character, and thus I provide the following "thesis" on why Sasuke is Sasuke and Hinata is Hinata:

Firstly, in my interpretation of canon, much of Sasuke's character comes from him living without a family for over seven years. Assuming that he really was left alone in the Uchiha Compound, not only does he have to fend for himself in terms of daily chores—and as every college freshman knows, there is no greater time to feel homesick than the first time you have to do laundry yourself—there will be extended periods of time where he has to go without human contact. Even if he never becomes quite close to the Hyuuga, he's still in an environment where he's exposed to a familial structure on a daily basis.

Secondly, even though the Main Branch is a real-politick, dog-eat-dog-world, amongst the Branch families it is logical to suspect there are some happy families. Given Hinata's nature, Sasuke would undoubtedly be exposed to examples where real happiness does exist. Although he isn't consciously aware of it yet, Sasuke is somewhat aware that there really are good things in the world—such as Hinata herself. It would be no exaggeration to say that Hinata is literally a pillar of existence for Sasuke. Hinata is almost like a mother, in the sense she provides unconditional love. For every young child, such a love is very important, and although Sasuke definitely remains scarred from the Uchiha Massacre, in some sense some of the worst psychological scars have been tempered by Hinata's existence.

Thirdly, it makes sense that Sasuke would transfer his protectiveness instinct onto Hinata. While in canon, Sasuke didn't have anyone to protect after the Uchiha Massacre, which inevitably lead to the death of said protective instinct and the growing belief that there's really nothing left in the world for him—and don't say Naruto and Sakura, because arguably by the time they enter his life at age twelve, it's almost too late to fight against a long-ingrained grudge, and Orochimaru just proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back—here Hinata just happens to be there at the right place at the right time. Even more importantly, Hinata is one factor that isn't overshadowed by Itachi's memory, which makes her doubly important in the shaping of Sasuke's psyche.

Lastly, as readers have noted, Hyuuga Hinata seems a lot more "confident". I wouldn't say confident is the right word, but she definitely has self-esteem. For Hinata, Sasuke is self-esteem. Sasuke may definitely still be a selfish son-of-a-bitch, but for Hinata, once again, he's one factor in her life almost—not a completely, but almost—completely removed from the Hyuuga power-struggle. He may snap at her for being weak, but it won't be the same snap that the Elder's speak. The Elders would press on Hinata that being weak means failing the Hyuuga, while Sasuke would snap at Hinata for being weak for her own sake. Read that sentence twice, my dear readers. I'm sure it'll make sense.

The Academy scene is also quite significant. Readers may wonder why fangirls don't, well, obsessively fan-girl in this alternate universe as they do in canon. One word answer: Hinata. For the same reason why in real life celebrities sometimes fear of revealing a relationship because it may hurt their popularity, similarly put, Hinata puts a damper on things. The fact she is a Hyuuga also will undoubtedly incite an inferiority complex in several of the girls. Similarly, Ino and Sakura would have no reason to break up.

Although I accept that canon is a manga at heart, an entertaining shounen which needs humor and action, if you look at the Naruto-verse realistically, there should be a lot more angst in terms of the whole clan vs civilian situation. History proves that in a militaristic society, there will be class stratifications based on strength and bloodline. Konohagakure would undoubtedly be the same. Pandemonium is my attempt at bit of realism, and reality is often unpleasant. Thus, I have tried my best to stress the tensions between the clan-ed and the non-clan-ed.

I hope I haven't given away too much spoilers here, but I feel it is important to know. Pandemonium may be a romance, but it is also a political drama. If it feels to hard to handle, I have written plenty of other fluff for readers.

"Thesis" aside, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter! I would love to hear from you; reviews tell me if my meanings are being conveyed. They also let me know what the reader likes or dislikes, and fundamentally, that changes the story as well.

Thank you!


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